


Whom The Powers That Be Have Joined

by xspike4evax



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 17:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7649536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xspike4evax/pseuds/xspike4evax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Faith prepares to leave L.A. Lorne has some words of hope for Angel</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whom The Powers That Be Have Joined

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Lock from the prompt table at bad_swa on LJ

There was a light breeze stirring the leaves in the garden, it caught a lock of her dark hair, sweeping it across her cheek. Faith brushed it back with an impatient gesture. They weren’t speaking, somehow they didn’t need to; and Angel didn’t feel the silence pressing down on him the way he used to with Buffy. Maybe it was because Buffy had always longed for him to say thing he shouldn’t, things that would ultimately only hurt her. 

Faith didn’t expect him to say anything. She didn’t expect him to try and justify asking his friends to remove his soul. She didn’t expect him to apologise for biting her and she didn’t expect him to explain all the things she had seen in his mind. 

It was comfortable, but far from safe. 

Angel could still taste her blood on his tongue. He had the feeling he would always taste her blood on his tongue. Different to Buffy’s blood, just as strong, but darker, like fire in his veins. Buffy was good, she was pure in a way he wasn’t and Faith could never be again. Buffy didn’t have blood on her hands and had only ever had love in her heart. 

He knew was it was like to kill. He knew what it was like to hate; and so did Faith. 

He never felt the darkness in him so acutely as when he was with Buffy; but that feeling was absent with Faith. They understood each other on a basic primal level he would always fear dragging Buffy down to experience. 

Angel cut his eyes at Faith and she sensed his stare, turning slightly to look back at him. “Guess I look pretty beat up, huh?” 

“A bit,” Angel conceded. 

“Don’t worry, I can take it.” 

Angel smiled and nodded once. “I know. You’re good at what you do.” He rubbed ruefully at his ribs. “Think you may have cracked one or two of them.”

Their fight had been something else; something all of it’s own. Angelus had turned all the lust Angel had ever felt for this girl into a , brilliant hatred; as white-hot as any passion could ever be. He had bitten her and nearly killed her, but she didn’t condemn him for it and standing here with her now Angel knew that not all of the lust or tender feelings that had always lingered between them had been eradicated.

He had always denied those feelings out of loyalty to Buffy, but now after sharing the truest part of himself with Faith, he could deny them no longer. They were there. They had always been there. 

He had to lock it all away. He had to lock himself down. He couldn’t allow himself to feel anything for her, or at least not allow her to know about it. He had ruined Buffy’s life and he wouldn’t do the same thing to Faith. She needed a chance to find out who she really was, to be the type of woman he knew she could be if only she gave herself a break every once in a while and didn’t cling to past mistakes like he did. 

“I guess you’ll be heading back to Sunnydale soon.” 

There was a flash of hurt in her eyes and Angel wanted to explain that didn't want her gone, it was just that he needed her gone so he could lock his feelings away, lock her out of his heart.

“Yeah, pretty soon now. Just waiting for Willow to finish whatever she’s doing with Wes.” 

“I ...um...” Angel didn’t want her to go. She was a kindred spirit in so many ways, he was always a little less lonely when Faith was around. “Thanks,” he said instead. 

“I guess I owed you.” She gave his shoulder an affection push with her own. “Anytime, Angel.” 

“Same here. You ever need me, Faith, for anything, I’ll be there.” 

Her eyes met his. “I know.” She sighed. “Not looking forward to heading back to Sunnydale. Wish I could just stay here.” 

Angel’s eyes found hers. “I know.” She understood; the choreography was spot on, dancing around things unsaid and veiled half truths. 

Faith pushed off from the railing. “I’d better go and see what’s keeping Willow.”

“Faith, I...” 

Lock it down. Lock it away. 

“I’ll be in to say goodbye to Willow.” 

“I’ll tell her.” She turned, passing Lorne in the doorway. 

Lorne came to stand beside Angel. “She’s quite a girl.” He wasn’t put off by Angel’s lack of response. He was used to Big Hunk O’Brooding by now. “It’s not goodbye, Angel. Just au revoir.” 

Angel stood up a little straighter. “What does that mean? Were you listening?” 

Lorne rolled his eyes. “Yes I was listening. To everything you didn’t say.” He touched Angel’s shoulder. “Angel, you two shared something very special. The PTB's have joined you together for a reason, you may have to walk separate paths for a while but you’ll always find each other.” 

Angel didn’t reply, but he smiled slightly. It was something to look forward to.


End file.
